More than 50% of Vietnamese infants lack vitamin D

NDO - Within the framework of the scientific workshop "The role of vitamins D3 and K2 in supporting bone density improvement and height growth in children", organized by the Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine on the morning of November 6 in Hanoi, experts presented many scientific evidences and the latest recommendations, which are highly applicable to optimal height development for children.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the workshop, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Xuyen, former Deputy Minister of Health , former President of the Southeast Asian Medical Association, President of the Vietnam Medical Association, highly appreciated the contributions of the Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine in the field of research and application on health and nutrition for Vietnamese people, especially nutrition issues for children.

"Through the Workshop, the Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine shows its deep concern for health and nutrition related to optimal height development for children through scientific evidence, the latest recommendations, and high applicability," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuyen.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Xuyen delivered the opening speech at the Workshop.

According to reports at the Conference, the Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine warned that vitamin D deficiency in children in Vietnam is still common, and has had and is having a negative impact on children's height development . A 2022 study in Southeast Asian countries (including Vietnam) showed that more than 50% of infants are vitamin D deficient.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr. Truong Hong Son, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine, emphasized: "The combination of two types of vitamins K2 and D3 can support calcium absorption into bones, helping to increase bone density, reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures, and reduce calcium deposition in blood vessels and soft tissues."

The Director of the Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine said that the above combination is important in improving and increasing height in children. The combined supplementation of vitamin D3 and K2 has been proven to be more effective than vitamin D3 supplementation alone.

Dr. Truong Hong Son presented research on the effects of nutrition on height.

Agreeing with the above opinion, Professor Leon Schurgers, Vice President of the Department of Biochemistry at Maastricht University (Netherlands), Chairman of the Scientific Steering Committee on Quality Assurance for Vitamin K Discovery Worldwide, shared more: to maximize the effectiveness of vitamin K2, it is necessary to pay attention to choosing foods and products containing vitamin K2 in the form of MK7, especially trans MK7 because it has high purity and few impurities.

At the workshop, nutrition experts also agreed that adequate vitamin D3 supplementation is very important for bone health, especially for infants and young children; vitamin K2 plays an important role in maintaining and developing bone health for these two groups, while also helping to prevent calcium from being deposited in the wrong place, leading to vascular calcification; supplementing vitamin K2 from food or supplements can help children grow taller and improve bone health, especially when combined with vitamin D3.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hon-50-tre-so-sinh-viet-nam-va-cac-nuoc-dong-nam-a-thieu-vitamin-d-post843359.html